Percy Jackson (3) - Percy's Return
by ofbooksandpages
Summary: Percy is presumed dead, but returns mysteriously wounded as Annabeth mourns him. Percy Jackson and the Olympians Belongs to Rick Riordan. PercyxAnnabeth
1. Chapter 1

Annabeth quietly pressed herself closer into the sheets of the bed. She knew this was likely the last time she'd ever smell him. Her tears began to well up, but she pressed them back. He was gone. And now, she had to continue her life, stitch all the pieces of her that he had shattered apart back together. She closed her eyes and slipped into her sanctuary, oblivion.

Percy staggered up the road, dragging his feet up the steps of his house. He wanted his bed. No first he wanted Annabeth. Then he wanted food, a hot bath, and then his bed. But mostly Annabeth. In desperation he realized she would probably be with her family in San Francisco, thinking he was dead. He remembered the last time she'd thought that, and her anger that had come with it. He smiled as she thought of her angry face and the tears running down it. No matter what, she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

He rang the doorbell, imagining his mom rushing down the stairs, wondering, hoping, that maybe her little boy had finally come home. He leaned against the wall of his house, listening to footsteps and a sudden gasp. The door flung open and he was in the arms of his mom, a little five year old. He was just so tired. His mother gently pulled him inside and her eyes widened at his ragged appearance.

"Sit down," she ordered and ran to the kitchen, presumably to stuff him with never ending amounts of food.

"Mom," he murmured. "Mom, where is Annabeth?" She froze, making Percy presume the worst had happened.

"Please," he breathed desperately, "where is she? Is she safe? Is she okay? You have to tell me."

His mother turned around with a slight smile on her face. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

Percy blinked in confusion before, "She's here? Here?"

"Upstairs, your room."

Percy stared at her for a second, and she smiled knowingly. Then he bolted up the stairs, not even daring to believe it could be possible. In a dreamlike state he ran into his room and spotted a familiar head of golden curls.

"Annabeth," he breathed. He walked over to her and before he could touch her she woke. They stared at each other for a minute before she gave a small cry and launched herself at him the same time he reached for her. They tumbled down in a heap of limbs and their lips met.

They broke apart breathing hard, and he quietly moaned into her hair as she pressed herself to his chest, "wise girl."

She didn't move, but nestled herself even closer. He heard her whisper, "Percy. Percy am I dreaming?" He smiled in amusement, and kissed her forehead.

"If you are, I'm not letting you wake up okay?"

"Okay." She shifted slightly and he gasped in pain.

"Percy, you're hurt."

"Don't worry about it," he smiled reassuringly. He didn't want her to move away from him, he wanted to keep her tucked up against him like this forever. Almost as if she were reading his mind, she reached up and kissed him again, but then pulled away more firmly.

"No, you need to get clean. I'm not having my boyfriend come back from gods know where, only to die of some awful infection or hideous monster poison." She pushed him toward the shower. "Go I'll be right here."

"Wait I need clothes." Annabeth grinned in amusement and reached into a drawar, flinging a boxer at him.

"Here. I'll need to see you to patch you up right?" He rolled his eyes, and she laughed. He stared at her for a minute before turning towards the bathroom. He turned around again.

"Don't go anywhere, all right?"

"I'm not moving." She whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

** AN: This newest installment is dedicated to my first few reviewers. Thank you so much for reading and for the feedback!**

** JustNotNormal - It means so much to me that you liked it enough to want more, so here it is!**

** MiSaNaHyu - Thank you so much, it really makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!**

**PS. Obviously Percy doesn't get wet when he doesn't want to, but in the shower he needs to put that barrier down, so of course he can you know...actually shower! Enjoy!**

Annabeth quietly hugged a pillow and let the tears and exhaustion finally overcome her. She began to sob quietly, relieved. He was alive. The stupid boy had broken her heart for the millionth time, and she was still so thankful he was alive. He'd taken over her life with his green eyes, messy black hair, and crinkling smile. There was no way she could even think about living without him, he was everywhere she looked. And he was alive.

She heard a knocking on the door and she looked up. Percy's mother peered around the door. "Annabeth?" She whispered.

"I'm here," Annabeth murmured, looking down embarrassed at her tear-streaked face.

"Oh, baby, it's okay. He's back, he's fine." Sally came over and wrapped her arms around Annabeth, and both burst into tears.

Suddenly the door slammed open, and Percy ran out wrapped in a towel, his hair was dripping wet. His eyes were panicked as he quickly glanced around the room looking for a threat, as Annabeth and Sally started in surprise.

"What's going on, what's wrong, who cried out, is everything okay?" He shouted rapid-fire, glancing around the room again.

"Percy," his mother replied sternly, "we're fine. Go back inside you're getting water everywhere."

Percy glanced at the tear tracks on his girlfriend and mother's faces and his mouth made a little OH of surprise. He blushed and looked down, the water at his feet drying instantaneously. He backed inside and muttered, "I'll be right back."

Annabeth made a slight hiccupping laugh, as she wiped away the tears on her face. "Stupid idiot. Seaweed Brain." She hiccupped again, and buried her face in her hands. The turmoil and grief she'd been feeling for the past week had been too much, and it was overwhelming her. She just wanted Percy to wrap her up again and never let go.

His mother shook her head and leaned forward, "Sweetheart, tell me what you want to eat. I'll make anything you want."

Annabeth looked up in surprise, "Shouldn't Percy get to pick?"

Sally laughed, "No, he put us through all this, he'll eat whatever I make. He's probably starving anyway." Annabeth smiled at that, "Then, I think I want the fattiest, cheesiest lasagna you can make."

Sally stood up and winked before exiting the room, "Comfort food lasagna. You got it."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: After Percy's and Annabeth's happy reunion, the question arises: Where has Percy been and what happened? **

**JustNotNormal - I'm so happy the last chapter made you smile! This one's a little more intense, but I hope you love it!**

After Sally had gone down, Annabeth finally managed to fully calm herself. Percy stepped out, in just his boxers, revealing a new series of barely healed bruises and slashes across his torso. Gods above, she thought, it didn't look pretty. Annabeth wondered how he'd managed to hug her without screaming in pain, bit her lip in worry. It didn't matter that he'd _left_ her _again_, and never mind the fact that he was the single person in the world that could cause her the pain and heartache that she'd sworn never to feel again, he was _hurt _and Annabeth was going to fix him.

"Where's the kit?" She asked quickly. All demigods who were only summer campers received a backup kit of nectar, ambrosia, common poison antidotes, antiseptic, and heavy-duty bandages. This way, in case of an emergency away from camp, they had something to rebound on -unless it was a dire or a fatal case.

"Its in the drawer under my nightstand," Percy grunted, as he sat down gingerly on his bed. The adrenaline of seeing Annabeth safe had worn off, and his body felt tender and painful. Annabeth reached his nightstand and paused. Resting on the top was a collection of pictures. A few were of Percy and his mother, and others were of their friends at camp including Grover and Tyson. But most were of _her_. Pictures of Annabeth smiling, laughing, reaching her arms up with her head thrown back, at the beach, on top of the Eiffel Tower, ready to spar in her armor. And there was one that Percy's mother had snapped on their official first date, where she had leaned over to discreetly kiss him. When had he taken all those pictures? She'd never even realized. He just shrugged sheepishly, and winced in pain again.

"Ow."

"Oh gods, Percy I'm sorry!" Shaking the pictures out of her head, she quickly reached down into the drawer and pulled out the little tin kit. Yanking it open, she retrieved the nectar and ambrosia first. Breaking off a piece of ambrosia she gave it to Percy to eat. She unrolled the bandages efficiently, and, to Percy's interest, she doused them with nectar.

"Percy, why didn't these heal in the shower?"

He sighed, and then thought about what he would say. "They did heal…as much as they could." Annabeth stared at him horrified, and then blew up.

"THESE ARE YOUR INJURIES AFTER THEY'VE HEALED? PERCY, what in gods name have you been doing?!" She could barely imagine how extensive his injuries had to have been, for only partial healing to have worked.

He winced again, "Baby, relax, please, I'm fine really. I'm home and I can heal properly now right? These things take time…and stuff." He was a pretty horrible liar. She glared at him, until he sighed and relented.

"I think it was slightly poisoned, I dunked myself in water as soon as I could, but only some of the poison seeped out. I don't think it was able to heal fully or as quickly."

Annabeth went very quiet, "Percy, exactly _what_, was poisoned?"

He looked away, and seemed to retreat into himself, shuddering. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, it seemed like something in him was broken. He'd thought he would die without seeing Annabeth again. Chained and bloody, he'd nearly been broken, but a final desperate desire to see Annabeth, had pushed him, and he'd escaped.

His eyes looked far away in the distance. He stared at her for an instant before showing his back, a mutilated mess, and whispered "The whip. Poisoned."

Annabeth stared at his back in horror, and then she leaned forward, and pressed her lips against his hard, careful not to touch him. Pulling away, she began to work on him efficiently. He tried hard not to cry out in pain, biting his lip and drawing blood. It hurt like hell now, although as she wound the bandages around his body, he could feel the nectar begin to work, and seal some of his wounds. He started eating the ambrosia, it was absolutely delicious and tasted like….he blinked and ate it again. It tasted like the awful pancakes Annabeth had made one morning. He'd never know ambrosia to taste so awful and wonderful at once, and he grinned as he finished them.

"What so funny?" Annabeth asked grumpily, as she bent around to work on the slash at the back of his neck. He laughed, "These ambrosia pieces taste like those delicious pancakes you made."

Annabeth stared at him. "You hated those pancakes," she muttered suspiciously.

"I know," Percy answered, chuckling.

"Hey!" She cried in mock offense, but Percy just twisted to look at her. She was holding a roll of white gauze, and dabbing at his wounds. He reached up and gently wrapped his hand around her chin, "I hated them, but I love you. And by default, I love your pancakes. I love anything you make, I love the way you walk and talk. I love the way you can go on for hours about architecture, and I love the way you smile when you fight. I love the way you close your eyes when I'm about to kiss you, and the way you blush after. I love the way you yell when you're angry, I love the way you will do anything to protect those you love, and I can't stop loving you Annabeth. So yes, my ambrosia turns into awful pancakes, because by the gods, I could happily eat those pancakes for the rest of my life, if it meant I had you."

The gauze fall from her hands as she looked at him stunned. He pulled her into his lap, and pressed his lips into her collarbone. He trailed up, softly pressing kisses up her neck and ear, and she closed her eyes. Pressing one more to her nose, he finally reached her mouth and their lips touched softly. _She was heaven_, he thought. She was bliss, she was his dream, and she was home.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter, I think it'll have to be in short installments, because of time commitments. I'll try toupdate as often as I can, although it'll have to be weekends mostly. Thank you all for your patience! Ready for some Percy/Annabeth angst? Looks like there's trouble in paradise...caused mostly by themselves. **

Annabeth felt as if she was kissing Percy for the first time all over again. She drank him in and ran her fingers through his hair. The kiss they'd shared when Percy had run upstairs had been born of shock and relief. This one was pure desire and desperation. Pulling apart, Percy made a noise of contentment deep in his throat. She smiled against him, feeling happier than she had believed she could ever feel again.

Unexpectedly, Percy's stomach grumbled in outrage. Both Annabeth and Percy blinked, and then fell over laughing at the absurd normality.

"Of course, you're starving," Annabeth laughed, "come on, your mom is making lasagna."

"Lasagna? Who picked lasagna?"

Annabeth was mock offended, "Lasagna is the champion of the pastas! It is literally pasta cake!" She sat up indignant and stood up to leave. "Can't you smell it? Pasta _royalty_." Percy stared at Annabeth in shock, and then cracked up again.

She grinned too and then hauled her still laughing seaweed brain downstairs to eat.

It really did smell heavenly downstairs, Percy thought as he inhaled the scent of his mother's cooking for the first time in months. Mingled with the cheesy, delicious lasagna smell, there was also the faint smell of…."Cookies?!"

Sally turned and laughed, recalling the first time her baby son had excitedly called for cookies. He hadn't changed much in seventeen years. He still loved cookies, and wasn't the best student, but he was the best son, and person. She looked him over, noting that he was leaning on Annabeth very slightly, although she couldn't tell whether that was because of his injuries or because he wanted to be nearer to Annabeth. Probably both, she thought wryly.

The two of them plopped down, and began inhaling their food the instant she set the plates in front of them. Percy was always hungry, and he'd been on the run presumed dead for weeks. Sally was thrilled to see him eat; he'd grown much taller and probably needed food desperately. But as she watched Annabeth, she realized how thin Annabeth had really become. Sally wondered whether she had eaten much at all since Percy had gone missing.

"Annabeth? Honey, when was the last time you ate?" Annabeth paused at the sudden question, and looked up in surprise before glancing down and away guiltily. Percy stopped inhaling for a second and choked on his food as he turned to look at Annabeth. Eyes watering, he inspected her quickly and grew angry.

"You haven't been EATING?" Grabbing her waist, he encircled it with his hands. His fingers met. He glanced up at her, his face white in anger and distress. "Annabeth! How could you do this?" Anguished, he looked at the lasagna on his own plate and compared it to hers. Frowning, he took whatever was left in the pan, and poured it all onto hers.

"Percy! Don't worry, I was just caught up, and was too busy to eat." Annabeth lied, trying to extricate herself from his anger. When Percy was in a good mood, there was nothing remotely intimidating about him, but Annabeth knew that the few times his loved ones were in danger, he could lose his temper. He was on the verge of dragging her out to every restaurant in town, ordering their specials, and shoving them down her throat until he was satisfied she was okay.

Annabeth quickly started shoveling food down some more before he could start yelling again. He didn't relax for a couple minutes, and then resumed eating again. Upset and furious, he glanced over every so often to make sure she ate. She knew he wouldn't leave until she had finished every last bit, even though he was exhausted. Sighing, she tried to make him understand.

"Percy, I wasn't starving myself. I just…didn't think about food."

Percy shook his head, "No Annabeth, that's not good enough. You think that because I disappear, you get to stop living? Gods, how do you think I feel right now? Annabeth, I'm not worth this!" Gesturing to her waist, he continued. "This, Annabeth, I feel like I'm dying on the inside. I can't bear this."

Annabeth shook her head, feeling incensed, "No Percy, please listen, I was…distraught. You were gone. How….how could you leave me like that? Again?" Pushing her empty plate away, she turned away from Percy. "How could you let me think that you were dead, again? After all these years, it's still torture Percy, I can't take much more of it."


End file.
